W. Eugene Smith Grant 2017

Grant of $30,000

The W. Eugene Smith Grant in Humanistic Photography is presented annually to a photographer whose past work and proposed project, as judged by a panel of experts, follows the tradition of W. Eugene Smith’s concerned photography and dedicated compassion exhibited during his 45-year career as a photographic essayist.

The W. Eugene Smith Grant in Humanistic Photography was established in 1978 following the death of Gene Smith, the legendary American photo essayist. It is today the most prestigious honor in documentary photography. Every year it recognizes a photographer who has demonstrated an exemplary commitment to documenting the human condition in the spirit of Smith’s concerned photography and dedicated compassion.

The Fund’s Board of Trustees appoints a three-member international jury every year. The jury meets twice. At its first session it reviews all the photographs (submitted electronically), applications and proposals, and selects finalists primarily on the basis of the substantive (and intellectual) merit of their project. The finalists are only then asked to submit a comprehensive photographic print portfolio, to write (if necessary) a more detailed and focused proposal, and to answer questions about their project.

At its second session, the jury reviews the new materials and proceeds to select the grant recipient and the beneficiaries of the fellowship money.

Prizes:

Grant of $30,000 ($30,000) will be paid upon receipt of the Grant, five thousand dollars ($5,000) will be paid upon receipt of the first six (6) of the digital images and six (6) prints within nine (9) months after receipt of the Grant, and the final five thousand dollars ($5,000) will be paid upon receipt of the remaining six (6) of the digital images and six (6) prints within eighteen (18) months after receipt of the Grant.

Eligibility:

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Copyrights & Usage Rights:

Applicants can submit up to 40 images total. These should consist of representative images from the project being proposed to the W. Eugene Smith Fund. The applicant can include in his/her submission, past work that represents the candidate's vision and his or her ability to execute the project being proposed to the fund. The images must conform to the following specifications: JPEG files with 2000 pixels on the long dimension saved at 72 dpi. Name the files with your first and last name and use an underscore to separate the names.

In the event the applicant is the recipient of the Smith Grant, applicant hereby agrees to donate to the W. Eugene Smith Memorial Fund, as an unrestricted gift, twelve (12) digital images and twelve (12) prints of work completed as part of the project proposed herein. Applicant agrees to deliver six (6) of said images to the Fund nine (9) months after receiving the Grant, and the remaining six (6) of said images within eighteen (18) months after receiving the Grant. Additionally, the recipient agrees to provide 12 prints from the winning project to the Incite Project. $3,000 will be provided by the Smith Fund to underwrite the cost of production for these prints.

The images shall become part of the W. Eugene Smith Legacy Collection at the International Center of Photography in New York. Applicant also agrees that as part of the unrestricted gift, the Smith Fund may exhibit the images and may use them to promote the activities of the Fund.